Welcoming Parents (and Students) to Canvas

I just sent an email to all parents (pasted below) letting them know about the use of Canvas and how they can access it (they are not automatically given access to Canvas - you, the teacher, must grant it to them). Using the "both" feature in FAWeb, it was also sent to students as a way to help them navigate into the system. 

If you review the email, you will see several links. The one helping parents request access to the site is for my parents only, but if you would like me to create one for you, or show you how to create one for yourself, please let me know. I basically used GoogleForms and then goo.gl as a url shortener to give them the link (with goo.gl, when you shorten a link it will give you a "details" option which when selected will show you a generated QR code). I used the same technique to create the form embedded in the previous post on the Train the Trainer Skillblock - where you enter name, goal for course, etc. 

Email to parents:

Good morning everyone,

I hope you are having a blessed Sunday.  I want to send a quick email to both welcome students and parents to the Junior Sacramentality course. I hope the year is productive and positive.

I am also using this time to introduce you to Canvas. Canvas is where all announcements, assignments, quizzes, the syllabus, etc., will be posted. To access Canvas, login through the normal student login on the Regis Jesuit website. You will see a tab on the left where you see RaiderNet and it will be titled, "Canvas" (students: your user name is your Regis Jesuit user name - what precedes the @ in your RJ email address - and your password should be the same as what you use to access RaiderNet unless you have set them as separate passwords).

For parents, if you would like to "Observe" the course (and not simply log in as your student), copy and paste (or click) this link to request access to the course: http://goo.gl/v7UD9v.

In case you need an overview or help with Canvas, here are a few resources:

1. Canvas Student Quickstart Guide: http://goo.gl/2tPmf2.

2. Full list of Canvas Guides: http://guides.instructure.com.

Thank you,
Jason Beyer, M.A.
Faculty, Theology Department
Education Technologist